Improvement in music-racks for piano-fortes



G. W. LYON. Music-Rack for Piano-Fortes.

Patented June 10, 1879.

-iiwiivi N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHCGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, u C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE \V. LYON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUSIC-RACKS FOR PlANO-FORTES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,428., dated June 10, 1879; application liled March 23, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE \V. LYON, of Chicago, county of (look, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Music-Racks for Upright Piano-Fortes; and

, I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents the front board of an upright piano'lorte embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a top view of the front board. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of the music-rack when opened or in position ready for use, and Fig. at represents a like section, showing the musicrack folded and locked to the front board.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

My invention relates to adjustable sheetmusic racks which may be detached from the piano-fortes; and my object is to so construct the same as to avoid the rattling or other noise usually produced by vibration while playing on the instrument, and so that it maybe readily removed from or folded into compact form and looked to the instrument.

To that end my invention consists in various parts, constructed and combined in such a manner as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, A represents the front board of an upright piano-forte, into the front side of which is mortised or cut a depression, A, in depth and area corresponding with the dimensions of the back 13 of the rack proper. To either end of this depression A a clea-t or jamb, a, is attached, and in such a manner that one half of the width of this cleat or jamb a rests on the surface of the front board, while the other half projects over the edges of the depression A, thus forming a groove on either side of the depression, the whole forming a re ceptaele for containing the rack proper, and into which the latter is inserted by sliding the back B downward and into the depression A, the cleats or jambs a securin g it in position.

13 B are the front and back, respectively, of the rack, meeting and hinged together at their top, as shown at 0, the back 13 being provided with an opening, f, cut through the same at or near its center, which will permit of the repairing of the spring 1), should the latter get out of order. This back 13 corresponds in area and depth with the depression A, while the front 13 corresponds in length with the distance between theinner edges of the cleats orjambsa.

G is a foot, hinged to the lower end of the front B, both of which coact in forming a rest, 0,for the sheet-music. This foot is hinged in such a manner that one-half of its width may be folded to the surface ofthe front 13, as shown in Fig. i, and is provided with an oblong aperture or slot, (1, corresponding with the eye of pin (1, contained in the front board, A. This aperture is so placed that when the rack is folded the eye of the pin (1 passes through the same, when the eye of the pin is turned and a lockiselfected, and brings the cleats a and foot 0 flush or on even surface with each other.

D is an elliptic spring; but a spiral spring can be used instead. This spring has sufficient staying quality or strength to overcome the rattling caused by the vibration of the strin of theinstrument, and is placed between the front and back B B, as shown in Fig. 3, and is for the purpose of forcing outward the lower end of front 13 to any desirable angle, so that it will insure the safety of the sheet of music from tipping forward and off the rack.

E is a covering of any suitable flexible material, cut or shaped so as to inclose the three open ends 0 of the front and back B B, as shown in Fig. 1,'and so that the covering folds inward in a similar manner to the bellows of an organ. The object of this covering E is, first, to limit the expansion of the springs, as the latter must remain sufficiently compressed to overcome the vibration of the pianoforte when in use otherwise the different parts composing the music-rack would become susceptible to the vibration and rattle and, second, that it renders the appearance of the device more ornamental. I do not, however, confine myself to this covering E for the purpose specitied, as various devices may be used to accomplish the same result 5 nor do I confine myself to the music-rack as being adjustably connected to the front board of a piano-forte, as it may be permanently connected therewith.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letan aperture or slot, d, substantially as and for ters Patent, is the purpose specified.

1. In combination with an upright piano- 3. In combination with a' piano-forte, the forte provided with the depression A and front B, back B, spring D, covering E, foot 0, cleats or jambs a, the front B, back B, spring provided with the aperture or slot 11 and pin D, covering E, and foot 0, substantially as and 01, substantially as and for the purpose specifor the purpose specified. fied. a 2. In combination with an upright piano- GEORGE W.-LYON'.

forte provided with the depression A, cleats Witnesses:

or jarnbs a, and pin d, the front B, back B, G. R. HOFFMAN,

spring D,covering E, and foot 0, provided with N. OOWLES. 

